Alpaca guides

Everything you need to know before buying Peruvian alpaca, without the marketing.

• Alpaca Fiber Grades Explained: Royal, Baby and Superfine

  Will it itch? What “baby alpaca”, “royal alpaca” and “superfine” mean, Peru's official fiber classes (NTP 231.301:2022) and which grade to choose.

• Alpaca vs. Cashmere vs. Merino Wool: Which Is Best?

  An honest comparison of alpaca, cashmere and merino wool: softness, warmth, durability, itch and price, to help you choose your next sweater.

• How to Wash Alpaca Wool: Sweaters, Socks & Blankets

  How to wash alpaca wool without shrinking it: sweaters, socks, scarves and blankets. Hand washing, drying flat, pilling, storage and moths.

• How to Buy Authentic Alpaca Online: Reading the Label

  What fiber content, “alpaca blend”, “baby alpaca” and “made in Peru” mean on a product page, and the details worth checking before you buy alpaca online.

• Will You Pay Customs on Alpaca from Peru?

  Since August 2025, even small packages from Peru can owe US duties. What changed, what “duties included” means, and what 10 alpaca stores say.

• Kuna vs. Sol Alpaca vs. Incalpaca Compared

  Three Peruvian alpaca makers side by side: pieces in stock, median prices, 100% alpaca share, grades, shipping and duties. From 3,824 listings.

• Bought Alpaca in Peru? Buy from the Makers Online

  Loved a sweater in Cusco, Lima or Arequipa? 10 Peruvian alpaca stores that ship to the US, with their shipping, duties and returns.

• What 3,824 Alpaca Listings Reveal About Buying Online

  We read 3,824 Peruvian alpaca listings from 10 stores: how many state their fiber content, how many are 100% alpaca, grades, prices and duties.

• Is Alpaca Wool Itchy? What Actually Makes It Itch

  Usually not, if the fiber is fine. Why alpaca itches less than most wool, which grades to choose, and how to spot a piece that might itch before you buy.

• Alpaca Socks: How Much Alpaca Is in Them?

  We read the labels of 365 alpaca socks. How much alpaca they contain, what it's blended with, what to look for and how to wash them.

• What Is Alpaca Wool? A Plain-English Buyer's Guide

  Alpaca wool, explained: where it comes from, the grades, how it compares to sheep's wool and cashmere, why it's blended, and how to buy it online.

• Alpaca vs. Llama: Size, Ears, Fleece and Uses

  Alpaca vs. llama, from cited sources: size, weight, ears, wild ancestors, what each is raised for, and how their fleece differs.

• Peruvian Alpaca Brands That Ship to the US

  Every store we compare, with price ranges and shipping policies.